Driving-gear for automobiles.



No. sa9,4|2. Patiant ed Dec. 24, I90l.

.1. nmuzv. DRIVING GEAR FOB AU-TOMUBILES.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1901.\

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

. (No Model.)

7j ft nesses, Om, 3M")? 4m. 689,4l2. Patent ed D60. 24, IN.

" J. RIDLEY. I

DRIVING GEAR FOB AUTOMOBILES.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1901.)

(lo Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Y Llfi- N 74 71 fnasses, Rwn'ibr,

N0. 689,4!2. Patented Dec; 24, l90l.

BIDLEY.

'DBIVING GEAB FUR AUTOMOBILES. v (Applicatimjflled Apr. 22, 1901.) (NoModal.) 3 Shee ts-Sheet 3.

FIG. 'lv.

"m: NORRIS mm ca. Pumm'ua. wAsumflNlL B L UNITED .TATES JOHN RIDLEY, OFCOVENTRY ENGLAND.

DRIVING-GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,412, dated December24, 1901.

Application filed April 22, 1901. Serial No. 56,985. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN RIDLEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain,residing at Coventry,in the county of Warwick,England, have inventedcertain Improvements in Driving-Gear for Automobile Vehicles, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to driving-gear for antomobile vehicles, and hasfor its object to provide a simple and strong gearing providing fortraveling at various speeds and dispensing with a differential gear; andmy invention consists, essentially, in a driving-axle and a driven axlecrossing each other in different planes, the driving-axle carryingbevelpinions adapted to gear positively one at a time with correspondingskew-toothed bevelwheels on the driven axle, the driving roadwheelsbeing connected to the driven axle by one-way clutches.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of anautomobile vehicle fitted with driving-gear constructed according to myinvention. Fig. II is a sectional plan of the said driving-gear, andFig. III is a broken sectional elevation of'the same. Fig. IV is a rearelevation of the gearcase. Fig. I is drawn to 'one scale, and Figs. II,III, and IV- are drawn to a larger scale.

The same numerals indicate the same parts throughout the drawings.

In carrying out my invention I preferably arrange the motor 2 (which maybe ofany suitable construction) close behind the front axle 3 and withits crank-shaft lying length wise of the vehicle. The motion of thecrankshaft is conveyed through a friction-clutch 4 to a driving-axle 5,which has a universal joint 6 at its forward end. The friction-clutch iscontrolled by any suitable means, such as a foot-lever acting upon agrooved collar 7, connected to the convex part of the clutch. I dispensewith the balance-gear and employ a single-piece driven axle 8, extendingfrom outside to outside of the driving-wheels 9, which are provided withsuitable bearings. To allow of the vehicle traveling otherwise thanin astraight line, I connect the drivingwheels to their axle by ratchets 32and pawls 33 or any other suitable form of one-way clutches. Whentraveling in a straight line,

both wheels drive; but when making turns the outer wheel overruns, whilethe inner wheel alone drives. The boxes 10 of the clutches are fixed tothe wheels 9, and their peripheries may be conveniently employed asbrake-drums.

I transmit the motion from the axle 5 to the axle 6 at either of twospeeds by means of bevel-pinions on the former adapted to gearpositively, one at a time, with bevel-wheels on the latter. Any suitablemeans maybe provided for locking and releasing either the bevel-pinionsor the bevel-wheels to their respective axles. In Figs. II and III thewheels 24 25 are fixed to the axle 8, and the pinions 11 12 are loose onthe axle 5, on which are also mounted, so as to rotate therewith, twoslidable jaw-clutches 13 14, which may be moved lengthwise, but cannotrotate relatively to the said axle 5. The jaw-clutches are adapted toengage with suitably-jawed bosses 15 16 on the bevel-pinions and areprovided with grooved collars 17 18, adapted to receive the forked endsof a yoke 19, fixed to a striking-bar 20, which may be operated throughsuitable connections 21 from a lever 22, mounted below thesteering-handle 23. The pinion 11 gears permanently with the wheel 24:and the pinion l2 gears permanently with the wheel 25, and as the axles5 and 8 in order to clear each other necessarily lie in different planesthe wheels 24 25 are provided with skew-teeth set at a suitable angle.So long as the parts remain in the position shown no motion will betransmitted to the axle 8; but if the yoke 19 be moved so as to engagethe clutch 13 with the pinion 11 the axle 8 and wheels 9 will be rotatedat the higher speed, and if the yoke 20 be moved in the oppositedirection the pinion 11 will be released and the pinion 12 engaged, sothat the axle 8 and wheels 9 will be rotated at the lower speed. Therelative positions of the axles 5 8 and the parts of the gearing aresecured by a casing made in two parts 26 27, bolted together andfurnished with two pairs of bearingsviz. 28 28 for the axle 5 and 29 29for the axle 8.

This construction allows the axle 5 to pitch,

and the axle 8 to rock without anyinjurious results. A radius-rod 30 ispreferably pivoted in the horizontal centerline of the joint 6 in frontand is hinged to the case 26 at the back. The rear end of the axle 5 maybe produced and fitted with a cam-collar 31 to receive a handle forstarting the motor.

Additional forward speeds may be obtained by providing additional bevelpinions,wheels, clutches, and the like. For forward driving thebevel-pinions in front of the axle 8 gear with bevel-wheels on one sideof the axle 5 and the bevel-pinions behind the axle 8.gear withbevel-wheels on the other side of the axle 5.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In driving-gear'for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle and lying ina dilferent plane, a bevel-pinion adapted to rotate with thedriving-axle, and a skew.- toothed bevel-wheel adapted to rotate withthe driven axle and to gear positively with the said bevel-pinion,substantially as set forth.

2. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle and lying ina different plane, bevel-pinions on the driving-axle, skew-toothedbevel-Wheels on the driven axle and means for locking each couple ofgears one at a time, substantially as set forth.

3. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination ofadriving-axle, a driven axle, crossing the said driving-axle and lyingin a difierent plane, bevel-pinions on the driving-axle, skew-toothedbevel-wheels on the driven axle, means for locking each couple of gearsone at a time, driving road-wheels, and one-way clutches introducedbetween the said road-wheels and the said driven axle, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4:. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle and lying ina different plane, bevel-p'inions loose on the driving-axle, the saidbevel-pinions having jawed bosses, j aW-clutches rotatable with andslidable on the said driving-axle, bevelwheels fixed to the driven axleand gearing with the respective bevel-pinions, and means for sliding thesaid jaw-clutches into and out of engagement with the respectivebevel-pinions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle'and lying ina different plane, bevel-pinions loose on the di'ivingaxl'e, the said'bevel-pinions having jawed bosses, j aW-clutches rotatable with andslidable on the said driving-axle, and having grooved collars, a yokehaving forked ends adapted to engage with the said collars, means formoving the said yoke, bevel-wheels fixed to the driven axle and gearingwith the respective bevel-pinions, driving road-wheels, and one-Wayclutches introduced between the said road-wheels and the said drivenaxle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle, and lying ina different plane, a bevel-pinion adapted to rotate with the drivenaxle, a skew-toothed bevel-wheel adapted to rotate with the driven axleand to gear positively with the said bevelpinion, a-pair of bearingsadapted to receive the driving-axle, another pair of bearings adapted toreceive the driven axle, and a casing connecting the said bearings,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of adriving-axle, a driven axle crossing the said driving-axle and lying ina different plane, bevel-pinions loose on the driving-axle, the saidbevel-pinions having jawed bosses, jaw-clutches rotatable with andslidable on the said driving-axle, and having grooved collars, a yokehaving forked ends adapted to engage with the said collars, means formoving the said yoke, bevel-wheels'fixed to the driven axle and gearingwith the respective bevel-pinions, driving road-wheels, one-wayclutchesintroduced between the said road-wheels and the said drivenaxle, a pair of bearings adapted to receive the drivingaxle, anotherpair of bearings adapted to receive the driven axle, and a casingconnecting the said bearings, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

8. In driving-gear for automobile vehicles, the combination of a motor,a driving-axle having a universal joint, a friction-clutch introducedbetween the said motor and the said joint, means for engaging anddisengaging the said friction-clutch, a driven axle crossing the saiddriving-axle and lying in a difierent plane, bevel-pinions loose on thedriving-axle, the said bevel-pinions having jawed bosses, jaw-clutchesrotatable with and slidable on the said driving-axle and having groovedcollars, a yoke having forked ends adapted to engage with the saidcollars, means for moving the said yoke, bevel-wheels fixed to thedriven axle and gearing with the respective bevel-pin ions, drivingroad-wheels, one-way clutches introduced between the said road-wheelsand the said driven axle, a pair of bearings adapted to receive thedriving-axle, another pair of bearings adapted to receive the drivenaxle, a casing connecting the said bearings, and a radius-rod having oneend'pivoted in the horizontal center line of the said universal jointand having the other end hinged to the said casing, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses. V

y JOHN RIDLEY. Witnesses:

DOUGLAS LEEOHMAN, THos. F. WILSON.

